Golf ball retriever



y 1951 c. F. BURDEN 2,551,486

GOLF BALL RETRIEVER Filed Sept. 30, 1948 Gfir/sfopher E Burden INVEN TOR.

Patented May 1, 1951 UNITED STATES A'EENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a ball retriever and more particularly to a device for retrieving golf balls at a golf driving range or other practice area and has for its primary object to provide a simple, inexpensive and practical device for securing, raising and transferring a plurality of golf balls from the ground or surface.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tubular golf ball retriever adapted to retrieve golf balls from the ground without injury to the ball or to the tubular retriever.

Another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable handle structure for the tubular golf ball retriever, so that the same may be adjusted for the convenience of and ease of manipulation by a user.

These and ancillary objects and other meritorious features are attained by this invention, a pre- Y ferred embodiment of which is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a golf ball retriever, constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention and illustrating the same in a ball retrieving position;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section of the lower portion of the device illustrating the spring elements provided to contact and receive the golf ball in engagement with the ground.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, this invention comprises a tube I!) preferably constructed of sheet metal and the like and having an upper open end l2 and a lower open end M. The interior diameter of the tube is somewhat greater than that of standard golf balls and the length of the tube is preferably sufficient to receive and retain a large number of balls.

A band or annular ring is secured circumferentially of the lower end of the tube and functions to hold the lower end against expansion and to support a plurality of flexible gripping fingers or elements [8. The spring elements l8 depend integrally from the lower edge of the band It and are provided at their lower ends with short outwardly turned ends 29, the angular juncture 22 between the legs or spring elements l8 and the outwardly turned tips defining a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the tube. Thus, the normal position of the angular juncture 22 of the spring fingers project inwardly of the open end M of the tube and the normal or slack position of the spaced complementary fingers defines an opening of a lesser diameter than the diameter of a golf ball.

A handle structure 24 is slidably disposed on the outer surface of the tube and is adjustably positioned thereon, so that the same can be disposed in various positions relative to the open top and the spring elements l8. In this respect, a band 26 is disposed circumferentially of the tube and the ends thereof extend outwardly to define a boss 28, which is internally threaded. A bolt or handle supporting member 39 is externally threaded at one end, as at 32, the latter end being threaded into the boss. A tubular handle 35 is disposed concentrically about the bolt and is provided with a substantially closed end 36, which is fixed on the extending end 38 of the bolt, a nut 4i] being disposed on the bolt adjacent the extending end thereof. A Washer 01' bushing 12 is concentrically disposed on the boss 23 to space the inner end of the handle from the band.

In operation, the device is held in one hand by the handle 34 and the lower end is placed over a ball lying on the ground. A downward pressure exerted on the handle is transmitted to the lower spring fingers and the spring fingers are deflected outwardly about the ball so as to permit the ball to pass by the inner angular portion 22 and to move upwardly into the cage and the spring fingers return to their normal position, so that the angular portions 22 prevent the ball from dropping downwardly when the tube is lifted. When the tube is again engaged with another ball, the ball already retained in the cage 42 is pressed upwardly by the ball now entering the spring fingers and the upper ball is moved into the tube proper. The above operations are continued until all balls have been retrieved, the balls moving upwardly in the tube. When all of the balls have been retrieved, the tube is inverted and the balls will drop outwardly one by one through the open top end l2. It can be appreciated that the adjustability of the handle structure 24 enables the retrieving tube to be employed and easily and conveniently manipulated by any user.

Since many other purposes and embodiments of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art, it is to be understood that certain deviations from the details above described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A golf ball retrieving devic comprising an elongated open ended tube having an internal diameter larger than that of a golf ball, an attaching member secured concentrically on one end of the tube, a plurality of circumferentially spaced depending inwardly bowed spring fingers integrally carried by said band and projecting beyond the tube end, a handle extendin laterally from said tube and means for locking the handle in longitudinally adjustable positions on the tube.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said means includes a band slidably disposed on said tube, a locking member for said handle threadingly associated with said band for tightening the same on the tube.

CHRISTOPHER F. BURDEN.

4 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 491,558 Hill Feb. 14, 1893 FOREIGN PATENTS 1;) Number Country Date 24,184 Great Britain Nov. 11, 1908 443,501 Great Britain Mar. 2, 1936 

